How to implement Win2000 multi-boot

In the era when the hard disk is very cheap, many people choose to install multiple operating systems on one machine. One is to learn more about the other operating system. On the other hand, you can also take advantage of different operating systems. For example, Win9X is more suitable for games, and Winxp has great advantages in terms of network.

In the process of installation, it is generally necessary to install Win 9x and then install Win 2000. Without the help of other multi-boot software, Windows automatically loads an os loader to provide a menu to select different operating systems.

How does os loader work?

There is a premise to generate a multi-system boot menu: the two operating systems are installed in different disk partitions.

It should be noted that the upgrade installation actually covers the previous operating system, so there is actually only one operating system, which does not generate a boot menu.

After installing Win 98 to the C drive, and then installing Win 2000 on the D drive, the Win 2000 installer will generate a file named Bootsect.dos in the root directory of the C drive, and the C drive. Win 98 boot program moved to this file, and then put Win 2000's own bootloader in the boot area of ​​the C drive, and also generate Boot.ini, Bootfont.bin, Ntdetect.com, Ntldr in the root directory of the C drive. Such files, the properties of these five files are system (S) and hidden (H). After the computer starts, the Win 2000 boot program is run first. The program will call Ntldr and Ntdetect.com in turn, then read the contents of Boot.ini and display the multi-system selection menu on the screen according to the font specified by Bootfont.bin. If the user does not make a selection, the computer will automatically run the default operating system after the time specified in Boot.ini, that is, start the Win 2000 operating system installed on the D drive; if the user selects the Win 2000 operating system, the boot process is The user is the same when not making a selection, but the startup time is slightly different; if the user selects the Win 98 operating system, the computer will boot Win 98 installed on the C drive through Bootsect.dos.

Boot.ini file:

The above Boot.ini file is actually a standard text file that can be opened with a normal text editor. The content is:

(1) [boot loader] “ system boot section & rdquo; logo.

(2) timeout=30 Specify the waiting time, you can directly change the number to the required time. If you change the number to “0”, you can directly start the default operating system without waiting. The startup situation is similar when installing multiple systems.

(3) default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(2)WiNNT Specifies the default boot system, here uses the WiNNT directory under the second partition of the first physical disk” The way to indicate the installation location of Win 2000, if you change the content after “=” to “C:” then the default boot system is changed to Win 98.

(4) [operating systems] “ multi-system menu section & rdquo; logo.

(5)C:="Microsoft Windows" displays Win 98 in the “Multi-System Menu” and indicates its installation location after installation.

(6)multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(2)WiNNT="Microsoft Windows 2000 Professional" /fastdetect Display Win 2000 in the “Multi-System Menu” and indicate its installation The starting position.